# Native Shrubs

> Understory and hedgerow shrubs for birds, pollinators and privacy.

151 native shrubs and ten small trees for hedgerows, the understory and wet corners: [spicebush](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/spicebush/index.html.md), [winterberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/winterberry/index.html.md), [black elderberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/black-elderberry/index.html.md), [ninebark](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/ninebark/index.html.md), twelve viburnums, northern bayberry, mountain laurel, pinxterbloom azalea and more. They run from knee-high leadplant to small trees of 20 feet and over, hardy from USDA zone 2 to zone 10 depending on the species. Most [feed birds](https://bluewhaletrees.com/articles/native-trees-for-birds/index.html.md) or pollinators, many take wet ground, and several are rarely sold anywhere. All are offered as saplings and 157 of them as seed.

53 of 364 plants matching native to Illinois. Web version: https://bluewhaletrees.com/shop/shrubs/?native=IL. Each plant links to its own Markdown page with the full facts, description and growing guide.

Columns: Zones are the USDA hardiness zones the plant takes, from the coldest to the warmest it is rated for (zone 2 is the coldest, 10 the warmest); Height is mature height in feet; Sun and Soil list every condition the plant takes; Grown from is what the nursery offers it as (saplings, or acorns, nuts or seed to sow); Price is the lowest current price, or "ask" when the plant is not yet priced online (email captain@bluewhaletrees.com or join the waitlist on the web page).

This table accepts the shop's filters as query parameters on this address: size (shrub, small-tree, medium-tree, large-tree), sun (full, part, shade), moisture (dry, average, wet), zone (2 to 10), native (a state's two-letter code in capitals, such as PA: the plants native to that state by the USDA PLANTS records), want (a trait: flowers, fall-color, wildlife, honey, edible, evergreen, rare, drought, wet-tolerant, shade, early-bearing, screening, nitrogen-fixing, salt, winter-interest, street-tree, erosion-control; rare means uncommon in the wild or in nurseries, honey a nectar source for bees), as (acorns, seed, nuts, saplings) and q (a search word). Several values may be joined with commas.

| Plant | Botanical name | Group | Type | Height (ft) | Zones | Sun | Soil | Grown from | Price |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Spicebush](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/spicebush/index.html.md) | *Lindera benzoin* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–12 | 4–9 | Part, Shade, Full | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Nannyberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/nannyberry/index.html.md) | *Viburnum lentago* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 12–18 | 2–8 | Full, Part, Shade | Dry, Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Blackhaw Viburnum](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/blackhaw/index.html.md) | *Viburnum prunifolium* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 12–15 | 3–9 | Full, Part, Shade | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Black Huckleberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/black-huckleberry/index.html.md) | *Gaylussacia baccata* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 1–3 | 3–7 | Full, Part | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Witch Hazel](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/witch-hazel/index.html.md) | *Hamamelis virginiana* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 12–20 | 3–8 | Part, Shade, Full | Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Bladdernut](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/bladdernut/index.html.md) | *Staphylea trifolia* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 8–15 | 4–8 | Part, Shade | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Black Elderberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/black-elderberry/index.html.md) | *Sambucus canadensis* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–12 | 3–9 | Full, Part | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Red Elderberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/red-elderberry/index.html.md) | *Sambucus racemosa* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 8–12 | 3–7 | Part, Full, Shade | Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Smooth Alder (Swamp Alder)](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/smooth-alder/index.html.md) | *Alnus serrulata* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 10–20 | 4–9 | Full, Part | Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Ninebark](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/ninebark/index.html.md) | *Physocarpus opulifolius* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 5–10 | 2–8 | Full, Part | Dry, Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Eastern Leatherwood](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/eastern-leatherwood/index.html.md) | *Dirca palustris* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–6 | 4–9 | Shade, Part | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Staghorn Sumac](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/staghorn-sumac/index.html.md) | *Rhus typhina* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 15–25 | 3–8 | Full | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Indigobush (False Indigo)](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/indigobush/index.html.md) | *Amorpha fruticosa* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–12 | 4–9 | Full, Part | Dry, Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Leadplant](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/leadplant/index.html.md) | *Amorpha canescens* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 1–3 | 2–8 | Full | Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Winterberry Holly](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/winterberry/index.html.md) | *Ilex verticillata* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–12 | 3–9 | Full, Part | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Black Chokeberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/black-chokeberry/index.html.md) | *Aronia melanocarpa* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–6 | 3–8 | Full, Part | Dry, Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Carolina Buckthorn](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/carolina-buckthorn/index.html.md) | *Frangula caroliniana* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 10–20 | 5–9 | Part, Full, Shade | Average, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Silky Dogwood](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/silky-dogwood/index.html.md) | *Cornus amomum* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–12 | 4–8 | Full, Part | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [New Jersey Tea](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/new-jersey-tea/index.html.md) | *Ceanothus americanus* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 2–3 | 4–8 | Full, Part | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Pinxterbloom Azalea](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/pinxterbloom-azalea/index.html.md) | *Rhododendron periclymenoides* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–6 | 4–9 | Part, Full, Shade | Average, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Gray Dogwood](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/gray-dogwood/index.html.md) | *Cornus racemosa* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 4–10 | 4–8 | Full, Part, Shade | Dry, Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Arrowwood Viburnum](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/arrowwood-viburnum/index.html.md) | *Viburnum dentatum* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 5–10 | 2–8 | Full, Part, Shade | Dry, Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Deerberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/deerberry/index.html.md) | *Vaccinium stamineum* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 5–15 | 5–9 | Full, Part | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Common Prickly Ash (Toothache Tree)](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/common-prickly-ash/index.html.md) | *Zanthoxylum americanum* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 10–20 | 3–8 | Full, Part | Average, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Devil's Walking Stick](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/devils-walking-stick/index.html.md) | *Aralia spinosa* | Native Shrubs | Small tree | 10–20 | 4–9 | Full, Part | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Virginia Sweetspire](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/virginia-sweetspire/index.html.md) | *Itea virginica* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–6 | 5–9 | Part, Full, Shade | Wet, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Rusty Blackhaw](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/rusty-blackhaw/index.html.md) | *Viburnum rufidulum* | Native Shrubs | Small tree | 10–20 | 5–9 | Full, Part | Average, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [American Snowbell](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/american-snowbell/index.html.md) | *Styrax americanus* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–15 | 6–10 | Part, Full, Shade | Wet, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Bigleaf Snowbell](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/bigleaf-snowbell/index.html.md) | *Styrax grandifolius* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 8–20 | 6–9 | Part, Shade, Full | Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Farkleberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/farkleberry/index.html.md) | *Vaccinium arboreum* | Native Shrubs | Small tree | 10–25 | 6–10 | Full, Part | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Mapleleaf Viburnum](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/mapleleaf-viburnum/index.html.md) | *Viburnum acerifolium* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–6 | 3–8 | Part, Shade, Full | Average, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Roughleaf Dogwood](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/roughleaf-dogwood/index.html.md) | *Cornus drummondii* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–15 | 5–8 | Full, Part, Shade | Average, Dry, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Strawberry Bush](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/strawberry-bush/index.html.md) | *Euonymus americanus* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 4–6 | 6–9 | Part, Shade | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Fragrant Sumac](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/fragrant-sumac/index.html.md) | *Rhus aromatica* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 2–6 | 3–9 | Full, Part | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Canada Yew](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/canada-yew/index.html.md) | *Taxus canadensis* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–6 | 2–7 | Part, Shade | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Possumhaw](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/possumhaw/index.html.md) | *Ilex decidua* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 7–15 | 5–9 | Full, Part | Average, Wet, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Softleaf Arrowwood](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/softleaf-arrowwood/index.html.md) | *Viburnum molle* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–12 | 5–7 | Part, Shade | Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Shining Indigobush](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/shining-indigobush/index.html.md) | *Amorpha nitens* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–10 | 7–9 | Part, Full | Average, Wet, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Catberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/catberry/index.html.md) | *Ilex mucronata* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–10 | 3–7 | Full, Part | Wet, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Woolly Beach Heather](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/woolly-beach-heather/index.html.md) | *Hudsonia tomentosa* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 1–2 | 2–8 | Full | Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Climbing Prairie Rose](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/climbing-prairie-rose/index.html.md) | *Rosa setigera* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–15 | 4–8 | Full, Part | Average, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Prairie Redroot](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/prairie-redroot/index.html.md) | *Ceanothus herbaceus* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 2–3 | 4–8 | Full, Part | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Alderleaf Buckthorn](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/alderleaf-buckthorn/index.html.md) | *Rhamnus alnifolia* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 2–5 | 3–7 | Part, Shade, Full | Wet, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [American Fly Honeysuckle](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/american-fly-honeysuckle/index.html.md) | *Lonicera canadensis* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–6 | 3–7 | Part, Shade, Full | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Downy Arrowwood](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/downy-arrowwood/index.html.md) | *Viburnum rafinesqueanum* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–10 | 3–8 | Part, Shade, Full | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Roundleaf Dogwood](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/roundleaf-dogwood/index.html.md) | *Cornus rugosa* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–10 | 2–8 | Part, Shade | Average, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Canada Buffaloberry](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/canada-buffaloberry/index.html.md) | *Shepherdia canadensis* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–8 | 2–8 | Full, Part | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Creeping Juniper](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/creeping-juniper/index.html.md) | *Juniperus horizontalis* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 1–2 | 2–9 | Full | Dry, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Eastern Wahoo](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/eastern-wahoo/index.html.md) | *Euonymus atropurpureus* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–20 | 3–9 | Part, Full, Shade | Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Wild Hydrangea](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/wild-hydrangea/index.html.md) | *Hydrangea arborescens* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–6 | 3–9 | Part, Full, Shade | Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Red Osier Dogwood](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/red-osier-dogwood/index.html.md) | *Cornus sericea* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 6–12 | 2–7 | Full, Part, Shade | Average, Wet | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Buttonbush](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/buttonbush/index.html.md) | *Cephalanthus occidentalis* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 5–12 | 4–10 | Full, Part | Wet, Average | Saplings, Seed | ask |
| [Lanceleaf Buckthorn](https://bluewhaletrees.com/plants/lanceleaf-buckthorn/index.html.md) | *Rhamnus lanceolata* | Native Shrubs | Shrub | 3–15 | 5–8 | Full, Part | Average, Dry | Saplings, Seed | ask |